Climate camp raided for a second time

Six people have been arrested at Medway’s climate camp.

The first arrest was at 12.30am today, when a 40-year-old man was quizzed on suspicion of possession of a prohibited weapon

The other five were arrested between 5.50am and 6.30am, one of these a 27-year-old man arrested on suspicion of obstructing an officer.

The remaining four, all male aged between 31 and 45, have been arrested for public order offences.

Police say they were told to move their vehicles because of access for emergency vehicles.

They were given three hours to move them. When the campaigners didn’t do so the vehicles were treated as abandoned. The police have attempted to seize them. The window of one of the vehicles was smashed in order to seize it.

The move increases the tension between the two sides.

Climate camp protesters say police have sprayed people with pepper spray.

The eco-warriors say they were woken at about 5am today by police, who said they were going to take away their vehicles.

The campaigners say they have already given the police the registration numbers of all vehicles on site.

The protesters say the police, dressed in riot gear, have not listened to their pleas to leave the vehicles, a minibus and medical vehicle and another car, where they are.

Protesters say they had no choice but to form an arm-linked ring of people around the vehicles to stop them from being taken and claim the vehilces are taxed, insured and have up-to-date MOTs.

One protester who didn’t want to be named said: “The police have been really heavy-handed. All we want to do here in site is to have a peaceful protest, but the police seem to want confrontation.”

Meanwhile, a small but energetic rally from Rochester to Kingsnorth took place on Sunday, organised by Camp supporters, Campaign Against Climate Change.

Around 200 people turned out on Rochester High Street for the march, and listen to various speakers from Kent and further afield, including Green MEP Caroline Lucas.

Protestors reached the power station just after 5pm, flanked by scores of police officers, including mounted units and a police helicopter.

Many supporters then marched a further two miles to join the official camp.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kol08/article/default.asp?article_id=45813

RSS TrackBack URL

Translate: